Clamp for rods, pipes, and the like



March 4 1924. 1,485,75l

- A. P. WORTHINGTON CLAMP FOR RODS, PIPES, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. l2. 1925 Patented 4, 1924.'

narran statins ALBERT l?. WORTHINGTON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORNIA.

CLAMP FOR RODS, PIPES, AND THE IKKE.

Application filed January 12, 1923.

` tends a threaded bolt.6,. adjustable therein To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. VVORTHING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Rods, Pipes, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relatesl to clamps for rods, pipes, and the lil; and the object of this invention is to provide a clamp which may be used etliciently with rods, pipes, or the like of various diameters, and at the same time is strong and of durable and inexpensive construction. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with my invention the clamp includes a` main body member providing a rod or pipe clamping jaw, and there is a clamping member adapted to be associated with the main body in either of two dierent positions, presenting in each position one of two jaws provided on said member and contoured to different diameters, for work-engaging coaction with the jaw of the main body. The clamping member is removably associated with the main A body for ready reversal of position tov bring either jaw into operative position. Means are provided for operating the jaws to engage or to release a rod or pipe, and there are guiding and retaining means for maintaining the jaw members in proper relative positions.

1n order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of this invention. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side plan view of a clamp embodying my invention, and holding a rod, which is shown in section; Fig. 2 is a front plan view of the clamp and rod; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the clamp and rod, and is taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig14 is a perspective view kof the reversible and adjustable clamping element of the clamp.

Referring to the drawings, the clamp includes a sturdy main body l, preferably a metallic casting, substantially U-shaped to provide the groove 2 which at one side 3 is curved inwardly to form a rod or pipe engaging jaw 4. @pposite this jaw 4, body 1 has a threaded aperture 5 through which ex- Seral No. 612,245.

to force a movable clamping member 7, when positioned in groove 2, toward jaw 4, or to permit member 7 to be moved away therefrom. Member 7 is also a jaw member, having an enlarged portion 8, provided on op# posite sides with grooves 9 and 10, which constitute circular aws having diierent radii, and each jaw is adapted to coact with jaw 4 and to clamp a pipe or rod 11 between it and jaw 4. J aw 9 is larger than jaw 10 Y and is, therefore, the more appropriate for rods or pipes of larger diameter. The under surface of member 7 has an extension 12 presenting a curved bottom surface 13 which is adapted to coact with curved bottom 14 of groove 2, whereby member 7 is guided therealong. Extension 12 is arranged to fit between side flanges 15 on body 1, ywhereby member 7 is held against lateral displace` ment with respect thereto.

To hold member 7 against falling entirely away from body 1 when not held by bolt 6, and yet permitting of the ready and easy adjustment of member 7 with respect to the work, the front surface Aof body 1 is provided with a recess 16 and with flanges 17 covering a portion of the recess at each side, and member 7 is supplied with two pairs of laterally projecting pins or lugs, 18 and 19, each pair of lugs being arranged to be slid into position beneath flanges 17 and when so positioned establishing a pivotal and sliding connection between the main body 1 and member 7. When lugs 18 engage in recess 16 and beneath flanges 17, jaw 9 of member 7 is presented for clamping coaction with jaw 4, and when lugs 19 engage beneath flange 17, jaw 10 is presented for clamping coaction with jaw 4.

ln order that the clamp may be readily and easily suspended, there may be provided therein two spaced tapering holes 20 in which the usual suspension cables 21 may be anchored, and, if desired, the clamp may be provided also with oppositely projecting lugs 22 adapted to be pivotally lengaged by the apei'tured ends 23 of cable engaging members 24. f

rPhe operation of the clamp is as follows: After the rod or pipe 11 has been placed against jaw 4, member 7, with one pair of lugs, 18 or 19, engaged in recess 16, is swung into groove 2 so that one of its jaws, 9 or 10, is against the opposite side of the rod or pipe 11, and then bolt 6 is screwed up until soy the rod or pipe is clamped with sufficient tightness between these coacting jaws. To loosen the clamp, bolt 6 is unscrewed a sufficient amount. When desirable, the clamp may be adjusted for a larger or smaller pipe or rod by sliding lugs 18 or 19 of member 7 out from under flanges 17, thus separating m-ember 7 from body 1, and then bodily rcversing member 7 and engaging the other pair of lugs 18 or 19 of member 7 beneath flanges 17 of recess 1G.

Since lugs 18 and 19 are freely pivotal and slidable beneath flanges 17, there is no hindrance presented to the proper clamping adjustment of member 7 through the operation of screw 6; and ready removal and reversal of member 7 is permitted.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or. shown in the accompanying dra-wings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What 1 claim is 1. In a clamp of the character described, in combination, a body member having a central guiding surface and having` a with covering flanges at each side, a clamping member having a bottom adapted to slidably seat on said guiding surface and having side lugs rotatably, slidably, and removably seated in said recess beneath said flanges, coacting jaws on said members, and means engageable with both said members for moving one of said jaws toward the other.

2. 1n a clamp of the character described, in combination, a body member having a central guiding surface with flanges at each side, a clamping member having a curved bottom slidably engaging said guiding surface and confined between said side flanges, eoacting jaws on said members, and means engageable with both said members for moving one of said jaws toward the other.

3. In a clamp of the character described, in combination, a main member having a jaw, and a coaeting member having a plurality of jaws, said members being slidably and pivotally connected together and said coacting member being bodily reversible with respect to said main member to place either jaw of said coacting member in position to coact wit-h the jaw of said main member.

4. ln a clamp of the character described.,

jaw, a clamping member associated there.-

with and having two jaws, said clamping member being connectible with said main member in either of two reversible positions with respect to said main member to place either of the jaws of the clamping member in position to coact with the jaw of said main member, and means engageable with said main member and with said clamping member when in either position of reversal for moving the coacting jaw of the clamping member toward the jaw of the main member said main member having a curved guiding surface, and said clamping member having a curved bottomadapted to slidably seaton said guidingY surface in either position of reversal of said clamping member.

6. lin a clamp of the character described, in combination, a main member having a jaw, a clamping member associated there-A wit-h and having two jaws, said clamping member being connectible with said main member in either of two reversible positions with respect to said main member to place either of the jaws of the clamping memberA in position to coact with the jaw of said main member, and means engageable with said main member and with said clamping member when in either position of reversal for moving the coasting jaw ofthe clamping member toward the jaw of the main mem.- ber said main member having a curved guiding surface, and said clamping member having a curved bottom adapted to slidably seat on said guiding surface in either position of reversal of said clamping member, there being flanges on said main member along each side of said guiding surface abutting the sides of said clamping member, whereby said clamping member is held against lateral displacement on said main member.

r1`his specification signed this 4th day of January, 1923. i

ALBERT P. WRTHNGTON. 

